The Grammys

I think last nights Grammys was the first time I ever watched the program from start to finish. Well, almost start to finish. I was distracted for a couple minutes a time or two. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised. I remember trying to watch it many years ago but was turned off by all the rap crap that I just don’t enjoy. To me that’s just not music. Some hip hop (if that’s what you call it isn’t too bad (I can’t believe I just said that) but it’s still not my preferred style. But music is supposed to have some sort of rhythm or melody, at least to me. Some guy, or group, just screaming profanities into the microphone about killing a cop or beating up women in a poetic style isn’t music by any stretch of the imagination to me.

There were a couple things I didn’t get, like the giant mouse heads that were playing some electro-beat piece in the cubicle next to the Foo Fighters (I think) and the MIA intro was a little too far out for me. I don’t know if it’s my ears or what, but in many songs, and not just on the Grammys, I have trouble hearing the artist and understanding the lyrics. But that’s nothing new, we’re still trying to figure out the 1963 lyrics of Louie, Louie, by the Kingsmen. I think if they had made the vocals a tiny big louder and the instruments a tiny bit softer it would have worked better.

Adele, whom I had never seen before (I wouldn’t have know her if she had walked into my living room), won big and I really like her song Rolling In The Deep. Did I miss it or was Lady Gaga non-existent. I don’t recall her performing at all unless you consider her appearance dressed as the Gortons Fisherman’s latest catch a performance. She too has a great voice but I don’t get the weird outfits, but that’s who she is I guess.

I thought the choreography and lighting were outstanding for the most part. I was impressed with how articulate LL Cool J was as the host. I really enjoyed Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Tony Bennett (though his age is FINALLY starting to show a little), the tribute to Glen Campbell and I always enjoy watching the In Memorial portion of awards programs. Did I miss it or was Etta James not in that part last night? I didn’t see her photo or name there. I know they did a tribute to her earlier.

Is anyone else tired of hearing I Will Always Love You? Whitney Houston had an amazingtalent and a voice that few can match. I thought Jennifer Hutson did a good job in her musical tribute to Whitney. The whole program was great in the way they honored Whitney with such short notice. But since the news broke of Houston’s death I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard a clip of that song. It’s starting to annoy me and that’s sad. She truly had an amazing gift that has been silenced. Do we need to keep hearing that one clip over and over and over? I just hope I die before Justin Bieber.

“Rolling In The Deep” is a great song, first time I heard it I imagined that it was from the group Little Big Town. After a Google search of the title I discovered Adele, a great voice deserving of the 6 Grammys.

“Rolling In The Deep” is just one of the powerful songs in her album “21”. Don’t miss “Rumor Has It” and “Someone Like You.” I have the album loaded in my car’s CD player and it is usually the first one I listen to.

The “giant mouse head” was Deadmau5, a quite successful DJ/electro producer. That’s him

The number on his shirt is said to be the phone number of Skrillex, another electro/dubstep-DJ/producer. Some people will disagree, but I’d say it’s not a shame not knowing them… However, some of their stuff is not bad at all!

I’m not opposed to that kind of electro sound, it’s just different. Far superior to rap for me. I think it would help to have a couple drinks while listening to it. I just don’t get the giant mouse head thing, but I don’t get Lady Gaga’s outfits either.
Does this guy perform or is he just playing music? And what is an “electro/dubstep-DJ/producer”?

Wether he’s performing or just playing music: hard to tell! He uses partly pre-made tracks and fades and mixes them live (with different effects like reverb, stutter and so on), but he is able to mix so many samples in such an artistic manner that I’d say he is definitely a musician.

@electro/dubstep-DJ/producer: creates, sells and licences his electro or dubstep-songs on his own, mostly without big music companies being involved. Probably pays off better and gives the freedom to do whatever he wants to.

The best sampling DJ I know is Madeon, a 17 year old guy from Paris, France. Watch him mix 39 different tracks on a single “instrument”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTx3G6h2xyA (the machine he uses is the Novation Launchpad)

I specifically tuned in to see the Whitney tribute, but only lasted about 40 minutes. The internet has ruined my patience! Plus, I thought it was live, so I tuned in at 5:00 only to see that it was tape-delayed for the west coast.

I’m glad Adele won last night, I think she’s quite talented.
I’m already tired of hearing Whitney’s songs, that was all the pop stations were playing today, my radio is tuned to a rock station, but some of my co-workers listen to pop, all I heard fron their cubicles was Whitney. I know she was talented and all, but I can only hear the same music so many times.

Hahaha, great read Jonco! I just cracked up over Gortons fisherman’s latest catch and dying before Justin. That is funny.

I missed the first 20 min. but watched the rest and I really enjoyed it too. Glen Campbell gave my heart a good tug. He gave it his all.

I thoroughly enjoyed most of the songs from various artists and thought it was a pretty damn good show. I’d watch it again.

I’m sorry to hear about Whitney but I’m tired of the tv and radio playing like 8 songs over & over & over again. This is the truth, she got what she asked for.

I like Adele’s music and think she has a magnificent voice. She deserved all the awards that she got. I loved it when she said she had snot, when she got a little tearful. Shows she’s human instead of a Diva.

Well…I could go on & on but I won’t. Hope everyone is having a good evening. I had one of my grandbabies (he’s 7) tonight and he always makes me laugh. He’s great.

“Great voices” are dime-a-dozen. Gimme some real music. The stuff today is over produced garbage (with a “great voice”).

Whatever happened to appreciating real talent? A 12-bar blues song (with 2 microphones) can go a long way with the right talent. Gimme the 60’s where artists had to write and perform original songs (or at least put their unique sound to their covers).

Great musical talent is (figuratively and literally) a dying breed. RIP, the 27’s.

My wife asked the same question. My answer was that the songs are recorded, digitally but still recorded, hence they’re records. Made sense to me so I’m sticking with that answer. I would think a ‘record of the year’ would be a recording or song of the year, while an album is a collection of songs.

Sorry, Jonco, but I just read your post and all I could hear was my old grandad bemoaning the state of music today….in the 1980’s. That makes you old.

Unfortunately, I feel EXACTLY the same way about most of what you said. Let us oldies unite on the second thursday of every third month, when we can listen to music from when songs had melodies, cool riffs, and rhymes about something OTHER than how great/terrible the artist performing is.

Well, I guess I am old, but that’s OK. I was just surprised how much I enjoyed the show… because it didn’t have too much of the stuff I don’t enjoy. I really didn’t think I’d make it half way through it.